


No Second Chances

by thegirlwhochosetostay



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Emotional Hurt, F/M, Fluff, Post-Canon, Redeemed Draco Malfoy, Sad, Sad Ending, Single Parent Draco Malfoy, Unrequited Love, Unresolved Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-20
Updated: 2019-01-20
Packaged: 2019-10-13 13:35:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17489000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegirlwhochosetostay/pseuds/thegirlwhochosetostay
Summary: There was a reason Draco was always mean to Hermione. He had been raised to get what he wanted and resent what he couldn't have. She was high on both lists.





	No Second Chances

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not trying to justify Draco's cruelty to Hermione, I'm trying to paint a bigger picture behind it other than "It's the way he was raised." Enjoy!

It brought Draco no surprise that Hermione and the Weasel had decided to get married just four short years after the war ended. They had obviously been in love since they were young and had no reason to wait. It's not like they were looking for other people. However, 21 was young in Draco's opinion if it wasn't an arranged marriage like he and Astoria had just one year after the war. He scoffed at the thought. He knew Astoria would never love him and he would never love her. At least not the way he loved the Weasel's bride. 

At least Hermione was happy, that was the thought that kept him going. If she was happy he didn't care about much else. 

Draco was invited to the wedding by Hermione. In "hopes that past grudges could be cast aside and the wizarding world could be reformed now that dark forces were no longer at large." Draco laughed. Of course she wanted cooperation. That's all she had ever wanted. Everyone and every thing to get along. He thought back to third year when he had tried to convince his parents to free their house elves, his reasoning being that Dobby missed them. His real reasoning was he would always support Hermione's ideals. The things you do for the people you love he thought. The house elves were freed by the ministry after the war. The manor was searched and raided and emptied of its dark magic. Draco had to live in a town house for six months while the Aurors cleared the remnants of it's dark past. Potter payed for the town house. Draco's father was made a permanent resident of Azkaban. His mother was pardoned under house arrest. The house meant a cottage in the Scottish Hills, not the manor. Draco didn't visit his mother for a year. The only time she was allowed to see him was at his wedding. 

Wedding. Draco tasted blood on his tongue from biting it hard as he thought. He tossed the invitation on the counter and dropped his head in his hands. He had to go, for Hermione. He scoffed. The Weasel probably only agreed to inviting him as he wanted to see the look on Draco's face when the Minister of Magic pronounced his beloved Hermione Granger-Weasley instead of Hermione Granger-Malfoy. The Weasel had always known of Draco's feelings. If you're in love with a girl you can tell who else is as well. 

"Guess the Weasel won," Draco thought as he penned an RSVP owl. 

~~~~~~~~

Smoothing his suit once more before walking into the tent Draco sighed. He was alone. Astoria refused to go to the wedding and see Draco's face fall when he saw Hermione again. She may not love him but she was his wife and wouldn't be seen with her husband gawking over another woman. 

It was April first 2002. Draco wondered why they had chosen the date for their wedding. He walked in and went to the very back of the rows of chairs. He sat down on the last chair of the row without looking down until he felt a sting on his rear. He jumped up and refrained from grabbing his behind as he looked down at the chair. He was grateful that he had chosen to come early as no one was there to pay him mind. The chair seemed normal and Draco wondered what happened. He tested it again, sitting back down and being stung again. He stood up and looked at the chair with a confused face. It was at that moment that Harry James Potter decided to pop in from behind the tent wall. "Morning Malfoy," he said with a polite smile. Potter looked older but still scruffy with a mild stubble on his face and slacks that were just too big. Draco sighed. He might as well engage in a small conversation with the man, he had pardoned him of all crimes after all. "Good morning Mr. Potter, would you happen to know why this chair is enchanted with a stinging jinx?" Draco prompted, having nothing else interesting to discuss. At least not with Potter. "That would be because it's Fred's seat. I apologize, we should've put a sign but figured the stinging jinx would honor Fred better." Draco looked confused. He remembered attending Fred's funeral a few days after the war. He hadn't been invited per say but he had gone to every funeral that had been held. He had particularly remembered Fred's. He had never seen the Weasley's look more hopeless. He went to the grave every year on May 3rd to place flowers. It was best not for him to be about on the 2nd. "You do know the date, correct?" Potter quizzed Draco and he nodded. "April first." 

"Yes, well it's also Fred's birthday. That's why the wedding is today. Hermione and Ron were both very close to Fred and he was the one person Ron confided his feelings about Hermione to so they felt it fit to honor him in this way. He was supposed to have a chair in the front, however Ron said he'd rather have tears in his eyes for his bride and not his dead brother. So we put Fred back here to make it less distracting." Draco nodded. "I apologize, I had no idea." he told Potter with a sad look on his face. "It's no problem, really. We didn't expect you to." Potter said and Draco felt a pang of guilt in his chest. What else didn't he know about Hermione?

Potter walked away with a nod and Draco took a seat next to Fred's. No one sat in his row as people filed in. He got a few looks but no one truly paid him any mind. They were all too chatty about the wedding. After the last guests had been seated the procession began. The minister stood in the front as he watched the groom's party filter in. First the groomsmen - George, Percy, Charlie, Bill, Dean, Seamus, and Neville. Harry followed suit as the best man and the Ron came in. He was dressed better than Draco had thought he would be. He wore a black suit with a white shirt and red tie. He looked both very excited and terribly nervous. He was taller and slightly less lanky than Draco remembered him. Next was the brides party. The brides maids - George's wife Angelina, Percy's wife Audrey, Charlie's current girl friend, Fleur, Gabrielle Delacour, Luna, and the maid of honor Ginny. Behind them came ring bearer Teddy Lupin. It didn't surprise Draco to see his cousin was the ring bearer. He had heard from tea with mother and Andromeda that Ron and Hermione had helped Harry with Teddy a great deal and that he had taken a liking to them. The flower girl was Fleur's older daughter Victoire. Draco recognized her from the prophet. "Daughter of a Veela and Werewolf" the headlines had read. Draco chuckled to himself. The title should have been daughter of Triwizard tournament competitor and curse breaker. That would've been more impressive. He was stopped from his thoughts as the bridal song came on. He stood and turned to face the aisle. Hermione walked into the tent, her father on her right side. Draco's face fell. 

She was beautiful. Every single part of her was beautiful. Her dress was a crisp white. It was A Line, something Draco only knew because of pansy. The skirt was a circle and fit her beautifully. The bottom touched the floor and a train behind her came from the veil. The bust of the dress was even more stunning. It hugged her curves just right, she definitely wasn't a school girl anymore. The dress had sheer sleeves that came and looped around her middle fingers like a princess. Her nails were painted a nude pink. Her hair had grown longer and fell a few inches past her shoulders. It was delicately curled and the top half was pulled into a ponytail that merged with the rest of her hair in the back. Ringlet curls framed her face on either side. She wore a simple diamond necklace and Draco noticed how delicately the chain rested on her collar bones. Her fail covered her face beautifully. She arrived in front of the Weasel who had tears in his eyes. Draco saw her mud blood scar on her left arm underneath the sheer fabric and he internally cursed his aunt. He wasn't all that sad when he discovered Molly Weasley had killed her. Draco had tears in his eyes as the Weasel lifted Hermione's veil and looked at her face. Silent tears streamed down both mens cheeks but Draco quickly swatted his away before anyone could notice. Hermione was beautiful. She didn't have an ounce of makeup on her face and she didn't need it. Light freckles covered the bridge of her nose and cheeks. Her cheeks were naturally rosy pink. Her eyelashes were long and beautiful. It took every ounce of Draco not disapparate on the spot, knowing that the woman he saw would never belong to him. The guests took a seat and Draco sat as well, steadying himself with his hands as he sat- and being stung by Fred's chair once again. 

The ceremony was truly beautiful and Draco believed it was everything Hermione had deserved. His heart dropped at the thought that it wasn't also his wedding. He wished so badly that it could have been. Nonetheless, the Weasel could write vows. They were better than Draco's had been. Though it's easier to write a proclamation of love for someone that you actually love Draco thought to himself. 

During the service Draco was standing towards the back of the tent avoiding looks from people he didn't know and trying not to drink until he got home when Hermione approached him. "Good Evening, Draco." she spoke with a polite smile on her face. Draco noted that she had never called him by his first name before, but supposed she was trying to be civil. "Hello, Hermione," he said returning her smile. He hoped she couldn't read the sadness that laced his face. "Thank you for coming, we hadn't expected you." she told him and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. Draco felt a pang in his heart, he wished he could tell Hermione that he would always be there for her. "I was glad you invited me. You make a beautiful bride," Draco said. Just then the Weasel came up and wrapped his arm around HIS brides waist. "She sure is, thanks for coming." he said and then walked he and his wife away. Hermione glanced an apologetic look over her shoulder as the Weasel led her to the dance floor. It isn't her fault, Draco thought. Not even Hermione could burry the years of hatred between the Malfoy's and Weasley's. Draco sighed and disapparted. He didn't want to be there pretending to be happy for the couple anymore. His heart couldn't take that kind of abuse. 

Draco fell asleep in his office, drunk on whiskey and unrequited love. When he woke it was to a hangover potion and a note from Astoria saying it was going to be time to "try" again in a few days. Of course, the only reason Malfoy's got married was to produce an heir. 

~~~~~~

Four years after the wedding Astoria told Draco this was the last time she was trying. The couple had miscarried twice. Draco was miserable and it wasn't because the pregnancies failed. It was because since they failed he had to keep "making love" to a woman who he did not. The first time, Draco was disappointed and he felt bad for Astoria. The second time he discovered that unwanted pregnancies had higher chances of failing because the mother was unhappy. Draco then convinced Astoria to be happy by saying that if they got through this, they would get a child and they would finally be able to stop. The third pregnancy stuck. 

Friday the 13th of January 2006 Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy was born. Draco and Astoria stopped trying. They were done. They had their son. Draco poured his life into making his son the happiest little boy he could. 

Four months later, May 19th, the "Child of Two War Heroes" was born according to the prophet. Draco went into his office for two weeks. He stayed there, drunk and lonely. Once he ran out of fire whiskey he moved on to hard liquor and when that was gone he left the office. In those two weeks Scorpius hadn't had his father. Draco decided enough was enough. He stumbled into his bedroom and picked up his son. He was maddeningly drunk. He took Scorpius into his office and held the baby close to his chest. "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry." He mumbled into the baby's head. "I didn't have a good father but I'm going to be a good father to you. I promise," he told the baby. Four hours later Astoria came into the office to find Draco passed out with alcohol poison and holding the baby. He was sleeping tenderly in his father's arms. Astoria screeched. She grabbed her baby and flooed St. Mungos. Once Draco was stable Astoria grew more and more distant from both him and her son. A month after Rose Granger-Weasley was born, Astoria left Draco. She gave him full custody of his son and went away in hopes that having a responsibility would bring Draco out of his depression. 

~~~~~~

On November 4th 2007 Scorpius was almost two. He was walking and babbling. He was the light of Draco's life. But sometimes the light gets cast over by the shadows of your past. The prophet came in announcing the birth of the Granger-Weasley's second child. Draco sent Scorpius away to his mother for a month. He slept and drank. When Scorpius came back Draco had new lines under his eyes and on his face. He held his child close. He hoped that one day perhaps he would be friends with Hermione's children. Then he would be able to see Hermione, maybe.

~~~~~~

Scorpius would turn 11 in 2017 and begin attending Hogwarts. He was sorted into Slytherin. Draco drank while Scorpius was away but he also worked out and cleaned and organized. He did anything he could to not think. His light was gone. When Scorpius returned home for Christmas after his first term he declared that he wanted to invite his new friend Rose to his birthday party. Draco grimaced but nodded, allowing Scorpius to owl the girl.

On Saturday the 7th of January 2018 Scorpius' 12th birthday party was held. Not inside the manor, instead in the gardens. They were beautiful considering they were the only thing Draco seemed to put effort into besides working out and drinking. The first guest to arrive was Rose. Hermione dropped her off. Draco was captivated by her beauty once again. It had been years since he had seen her besides pictures in the prophet. Draco's heart stopped as she greeted him and thanked him for inviting Rose. She left quickly and Draco couldn't blame her, he knew the manor probably wasn't the easiest place for her to be. Scorpius had a few friends that attended including Potter's sons Albus and James. Draco couldn't help but notice the resemblance Rose held to the Hermione he had fallen in love with. She had her frizzy hair, though it was Weasley red, and chocolatey brown eyes. Draco hated it. He hated that Rose wasn't his child. He hated that Hermione wasn't his wife. He hated that he was a lonely alcoholic when his son wasn't home. He hated everything about his life except for his son.

Ron picked Rose and the Potter boy's up claiming that Hermione "was feeling off." Ron left as quickly as Hermione had and Draco cursed himself for not moving. He knew the house was bad. He knew the manor was bad.

The Malfoy's moved that summer. 

~~~~~~

Scorpius was 15 and had raging hormones over the summer of 2021. He had Albus and Rose over consistently, however their parents never visited. Draco was happy in his small home. It was better than the manor. He had quit drinking, promising himself that he needed to prolong his life for Scorpius. One night over the summer Scorpius and Draco were talking over tea when Scorpius fell silent.

"What's troubling you Scor?" Draco prompted noticing his son had gone quiet. 

"I think I like Rose, you know, Mrs. Hermione's daughter." Scorpius said. Draco's face fell

"Scorpius I love you very much. But I have to tell you. Don't fall in love with a Granger. They don't give second chances."

**Author's Note:**

> Well, maybe enjoy wasn't the right word to use. Please let me know what you think!


End file.
